Kipruto thrilled by world championship qualification

Former World Athletics Indoor Tour champion Collins Kipruto raced to victory at the Memoriał Wiesława Maniaka Miejski Stadion in Poland, winning the men’s 800m by clocking 1:44.42 ahead of home runner Patryk Dobek.

Kipruto, who is eyeing Team Kenya to the World Championship in Budapest next year is excited to bag the qualifying time early on as this gives him time to concentrate on making team Kenya.

The qualification standards for the two-lap race were brought down to 1:44.70 for men from 1:45.20 which was the standard for Oregon. Kipruto put on a dominant performance to hit the qualifying time ahead of Dobek who timed 1:45.04 and another Kenyan Koitatoi Kidali who finished third in 1:45.24.

Tough entry standards set for 2023 World Athletics Championships

“I am happy to have attained the time this early in the window as now I get to focus on getting ready for Budapest. I did not want the last-minute rush that comes with the pressure on making the Kenyan team too.

I have had a long season and cannot wait to take a break after the Brussels Diamond League. With how things stand, it is highly unlikely I will make the final DL in Zurich so I just want to end my season on a high in Belgium,” said Kipruto.

The qualification period for next year’s world championships in marathon and 35km race walk opened on 1 December 2021 and ends on 30 May 2023. For the 10,000m, 20km race walk and combined events, the window runs from 31 January 2022 until 30 July 2023. For all other disciplines, the qualification period is 31 July 2022 to 30 July 2023.

Defending world champions will be offered a wild card entry, as will the winners of the 2022 Diamond League, World Race Walking Tour and World Combined Events Tour, plus the leading hammer performers on the Continental Tour; all subject to selection by the athlete's national federation.

Area champions in selected disciplines and subject to certain conditions, top-five finishers at Platinum Label marathons during the qualification period and winners of Gold Label marathons held in 2023 shall also be considered as having achieved the entry standard.